Netball: The year in bite-sized pieces

Maria Tutaia and Casey Williams celebrate golden goal overtime victory in the Netball final, New Zealand vs Australia at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India. Photo / photosport.co.nz

MAY: Pulse win a match

They were called plucky and rarely lucky. On May 23, the flatlining Pulse recorded a win - just their second ever - over fellow stragglers the Tactix.

JUNE: Noeline Taurua's troubles

Being labelled "kooky" and accused of "crazy experimentation" did not sit well with the Magic coach towards the end of a challenging season. Her husband sent expletive-laden emails to the reporter concerned and the Magic boycotted interviews for a time.

Casey's split

Captain Casey called off her engagement on June 17, only admitting later how much it had troubled her in a tumultuous year.

JULY: Anna Scarlett's comeback

She abandoned beach volleyball and was immediately recalled to the Ferns in July, without playing a single ANZ Championship match.

AUGUST: Meltdown Maria

Maria Tutaia was indifferent against Samoa and out of sorts in the first Jamaican test, subbed off in the second half of a 58-35 win.

"Inconsistency is part of my game," Tutaia reflected candidly, "and probably always will be."

Ruth Aitken v Norma Plummer

One of several running feuds during the year centred on selection policy. "We have been in team-building mode rather than team selection mode and it remains to be seen who is the most effective," said Ruth Aitken.

Fuhrminator fuels fears

Giant Australian defender Susan Fuhrmann unsettled Irene van Dyk to turn the first test late in the match. "It was a strange experience for Irene," said Plummer. "She has never had to look [a defender] in the eye before."

SEPTEMBER: Australian panic attack

"That is what we want to see - that little bit of [Australian] panic out there," said Temepara George of the 59-40 second test win in Wellington.

No consolation in Constellation

Australia bounced back to take the third test 46-40 at a capacity Vector Arena. "I had to remind them they are playing for Australia, not the Pekingham under-10s," growled coach Norma Plummer.

Van Dyk's verdict

Irene had heard enough. "I don't think Australia has the mental edge," she affirmed. "I have a real problem with that theory about them being mentally tougher than us and I don't necessarily think it is true."

OCTOBER: Lang haul for Laura

When she took the court against South Africa in Delhi Laura Langman clocked up 62 consecutive matches since her debut, a netball record and a mark unsurpassed in other major New Zealand sports.

Marvellous Maria

Tutaia, often criticised for inconsistency, produced the game of her life at the best possible time - unstoppable from anywhere in the circle and sinking several clutch shots in added time in the Commonwealth Games final.

Commentary chaos

The Ferns were instructed by the Sky commentators to "keep their heads, one at a time". The commentators then lost theirs getting so caught up in the drama they failed to tell their audience that the match had moved into a second period of extra time.

NOVEMBER: Fantastic Fastnet

Robyn Broughton took a completely new team and successfully defended their Fastnet crown in England, ahead of the more fancied English and Australian combinations. The Kiwis were criticised for playing "normal netball", failing to embrace the new rules.